Many vegans and vegetarians are able to follow a balanced diet, which consists of whole grains, seeds, nuts, and vegetables or fruits. That way they can get most of the required vitamins and minerals.

 

However, eliminating meat from your diet also eliminates the number one source for specific micronutrients which we will now talk about. Supplementing them makes sense to prevent deficiencies and ensure long-term health.

Vitamin B12 is important for cognitive ability and deficiency can cause anemia. Unfortunately, basically all natural Vitamin B12 sources are animal based. Therefore, supplementation is recommended for vegan.

 

Vegetarians who consume dairy products or eggs do not need to supplement it, however. Supplementing Vitamin B12 is pretty straightforward. Simply take 25 – 100 mcg a day in the form of capsules or pills.

Calcium supports muscle function, transmits nerve impulses, helps cells to communicate and is involved in the release of certain hormones. Most of the calcium is stored in our bones and teeth, where it’s used for structural purposes.

 

We get calcium mostly from yogurt, whey protein supplements, milk, cottage cheese which vegans and some vegetarians do not consume. Therefore, vegans are encouraged to aim for around at least 600 mg of calcium per day, which can be easily covered with a good calcium supplement.

Iron is another mineral you should consider supplementing if you are vegan because it is involved in various bodily functions, including the transport of oxygen in the blood. Iron deficiencies are not very common in developed parts of the world, but interestingly women have a higher RDI because they lose some iron during their period.

 

You can get iron through a plant-based diet with foods likes lentils, soybeans, brown rice or oatmeal, but studies show that deficiencies are still more common among vegans than meat eaters.

 

So if you are deficient which only a blood test will show, you should consider supplementing which will help with the fatigue, impaired mental capacity and impaired immune function that come with a deficiency.